1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a media storing and feeding device, and more specifically to a device that stores and feeds leaf-like media such as bank bills, checks, deeds or instruments by winding up and rewinding a tape or tapes between a drum and reels for use in a bill depositing and withdrawing machine, a check/deed collecting and issuing machine, a bank bill/check/deed delivery system, or the like.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, as devices that store and feed leaf-like media by winding up and rewinding a tape or tapes between a drum and reels, there are a type of system using two tapes, as disclosed by, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,074 to Edin et al., and another type of system using a single tape as disclosed by, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 12558/1983. Further, as for a system to drive a tape or tapes, Edin et al., uses a plurality of motors, and, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 67382/1996 uses a single motor to drive the tape.
The system in which two tapes are used and are driven by one motor will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 30 and 31, which explanatorily show the main part of the system in a side and a plan view, respectively. In the figures, reference numeral 100 denotes a storing and feeding device. Reference numerals 110 and 115 denote tapes, which have the same shape and length as each other. The tapes 110 and 115 have one end wound around a drum 120 and the other end wound around reels 130 and 135.
The drum 120 is adapted to wind up a medium 300 pinched between the tapes 110 and 115 along with the tapes 110 and 115, and is fixed on a drum shaft 121. Further, the reels 130 and 135 are adapted to wind up only the tapes 110 and 115, and both reels 130 and 135 have the same shape. Both reels 130 and 135 are attached to respective reel shafts 131 and 136 via torque limiters 132 and 137.
Reference numeral 185 denotes a media infeed-and-outfeed opening, which is located outside a media storing and feeding device 100. A medium conveyed from a conveyance unit, not shown, is taken into the media storing and feeding device 100 from the media infeed-and-outfeed opening 185. Idle pulleys 190 and 195 for the tapes 110 and 115 are mounted in the media infeed-and-outfeed opening 185, and the tapes 110 and 115 are wound around the reels 130 and 135 via the idle pulleys 190 and 195 from the drum 120.
Reference numeral 105 denotes a frame for the media storing and feeding device 100, and the drum shaft 121 is attached to the frame 105 via a bearing 106. The drum shaft 121 is configured to freely rotate with respect to the frame 105 by the bearing 106. Reference numeral 140 is directed to a driving motor that transmits a drive force to a drum gear 142. The drum gear 142 is fixed to the drum shaft 121, so that, when the driving motor 140 rotates, the drum shaft 121 and the drum 120 are rotated.
With respect to the drum shaft 121 and the reel shafts 131 and 136, the following drive transmission means is provided. A drum gear 150 is attached to the drum shaft 121, and engaged with reel gears 155 and 160. The reel gears 155 and 160 have the same number of teeth as each other, and are attached to the reel shafts 131 and 136 via one-way clutches 165 and 170.
Further, the reel shafts 131 and 136 are attached to the frame 105 via one-way clutches 175 and 180. With respect to the one-way clutches 165 and 170, when the reel gears 155 and 160 rotate the reels 130 and 135 in the wind-up direction thereof, the one-way clutches 165 and 170 are locked, and the rotations of the reel gears 155 and 160 are transmitted to the reel shafts 131 and 136.
By contrast, when the drum gear 150 rotates the reels 130 and 135 in the rewinding direction thereof, the one-way clutches 165 and 170 are rotated in the idling direction thereof, so that the rotations of the reel gears 155 and 160 are not transmitted to the reel shafts 131 and 136. Further, with respect to the one-way clutches 175 and 180, when the reel shafts 131 and 136 are rotated in a direction in which the tapes 110 and 115 are wound up by the reels 130 and 135, the one-way clutches 175 and 180 are idled. When the reel shafts 131 and 136 make an attempt to rotate in a direction in which the tapes 110 and 115 are rewound by the reels 130 and 135, the one-way clutches 175 and 180 are locked, and are not rotated in the rewinding direction.
The gear ratio of the drum gear 150 and the reel gears 155 and 160 is set such that, when the drum 120 rewinds the tapes 110 and 115, a speed at which the reels 130 and 135 wind up the tapes 110 and 115 is always faster than a speed at which the drum 120 rewinds the tapes 110 and 115. The details thereof will follow.
FIG. 32 explanatorily shows how the drum rewinds the tapes. Given that the tape wound-up radius of the reels 130 and 135 is RA1, the tape wound-up radius of the drum 120 side is RA2, the number of gear teeth and the angular speed of the drum gear 150 are ZA2 and WA2, respectively, the number of gear teeth and the angular speed of the reel gears 155 and 160 are ZA1 and WA1, respectively, a tape winding-up speed by the reel shafts 131 and 136 is VA1, and the tape rewinding speed of the drum shaft 121 is VA2, then the expressionVA1=RA1×WA1, VA2=RA2×WA2  (1)is formed.
In order to set the gear ratio such that a speed at which the reel shafts 131 and 130 wind up the tapes is faster than a speed at which the drum 120 rewinds the tapes 110 and 115, the relationship between the speeds of VA1 and VA2 always securesVA1>VA2.  (2)According to the expressions (1) and (2),RA1×WA1>RA2×WA2→RA1/RA2>WA2/WA1.  (3)Because the ratio between angular speeds is determined by a gear ratio,WA2/WA1=ZA1/ZA2.  (4)According to the expressions (3) and (4),RA1/RA2>ZA1/ZA2.  (5)Note that, the more the media are fed out, the larger the reel radius RA1 is and the smaller the drum radius RA2 is. With respect to RA1 and RA2 according to changes in radii, the following relational expressions hold as follows.RA1=ra1×ka1,  (6)RA2=ra2×ka2,  (7)where ra1 is a reel radius on which there are no tapes wound, and ka1 is a coefficient in which a reel radius is increased by winding up a tape.
Given that ka1 is equal to unity when there is no tape wound on the reel, i.e. when the media is stored fully in the storage capacity of the drum 120, and ka1 is equal to T1 when the tapes are fully wound on the reels, i.e. when there are no tapes on the drum 120, then with respect to ka1,1≦ka1≦T1(1<T1)  (8)is formed, where ra2 is the radius of the drum on which there are no tapes wound, and ka2 is a coefficient in which the radius of the drum is increased by winding up the tapes.
Given that ka2 is equal to unity when there are no tapes on the drum 120, and ka2 is equal to T2 when the media are fully stored in the storage capacity of the drum 120, with respect to ka 2,1≦ka2≦T2(1<T2)  (9)is formed.
Because the minimum value of RA1/RA2 is attained when RA1 is of its minimum value and RA2 is of its maximum value, according to expressions (6), (7), (8) and (9), the minimum value of RA1/RA2 equal to (ra1×1)/(ra2×T2). In order to always secure expression (5), it is necessary to satisfy expression (5) with the minimum value of RA1/RA2. Therefore,ra1/(ra2×T2)>ZA1/ZA2.  (10)By setting the above-described gear ratio, it is secured that the relationship between the speeds of VA1 and VA2 always holds the relationship of VA1>VA2 even when the drum radius and the reel radii are changed by winding-up and rewinding the tapes.
In this way, the gear ratio is set such that a speed at which the reels wind up the tapes is always faster than a speed at which the drum rewinds the tapes. A feeding operation of the media storing and feeding device 100 will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 33. The driving motor 140 rotates the drum 120 in the direction of arrow a1. At this time, because the reel gears 155 and 160 are rotated in the direction of arrow a2 which is a reel winding-up direction via the drum gear 150, the one-way clutches 165 and 170 are locked, and the rotations of the reel gears 155 and 160 are transmitted to the reel shafts 131 and 136.
Therefore, the reel shafts 131 and 136 are rotated in the direction of arrow a3, and the one-way clutches 175 and 180 are idled. It is thus possible for the reel shafts 131 and 136 to be rotated. Further, at this time, because the gear ratio is set such that a speed at which the reel shafts 131 and 136 wind up the tapes 110 and 115 is always faster than a speed at which the drum 120 rewinds the tapes 110 and 115 in order to satisfy the above-described expression (10), a difference between the speeds is absorbed by the rotations of the torque limiters 132 and 137 between the reels 130 and 135 and reel shafts 131 and 136. Therefore, tensions are always applied to the tapes 110 and 115 by the torque limiters 132 and 137.
In accordance therewith, because the drum 120 is rotated in the direction of arrow a1 while rewinding the tapes 110 and 115 in a state in which tensions are always applied to the tapes 110 and 115, a medium 310 pinched between the tapes 110 and 115 is fed out of the drum 120 by the rewinding of the drum 120, and the medium 310 runs between the tapes 110 and 115 to be discharged from the media infeed-and-outfeed opening 185.
A storing operation of the media storing and feeding device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 34. When a medium 320 is conveyed into the media storing and feeding device 100 from media infeed-and-outfeed opening 185, the driving motor 140 rotates the drum 120 in the direction of arrow b1. At this time, because the reel gears 155 and 160 are rotated in the direction of arrow b2 which is a reel rewinding direction, the one-way clutches 165 and 170 are idled, and the rotations of the reel gears 155 and 160 are not transmitted to the reel shafts 131 and 136.
Therefore, the drive is transmitted to only the drum 120, and the drum 120 is rotated in the direction of arrow b1. At this time, because the tapes 110 and 115 are wound up on the drum 120 by the rotation of the drum 120, force to rotate those in the rewinding direction is applied to the reels 130 and 135 by the tapes. At this time, the force is applied to the reel shafts 131 and 136 so as to rewind the tapes. However, because those are locked by the one-way clutches 175 and 180, the reel shafts 131 and 136 are not rotated in the rewinding direction.
Thus, the force is applied to the reels 130 and 135 in the rotational direction by the tapes. However, because the reel shafts 131 and 136 are not rotated, the torque limiters 132 and 137 between the reels 130 and 135 and the reel shafts 131 and 136 are rotated, which rotates the reels 130 and 135, and the tapes 110 and 115 are wound up on the drum 120 from the reels 130 and 135. Therefore, the tapes 110 and 115 are in a state in which tensions are always applied thereto by the torque from the torque limiters 132 and 137.
In this way, the medium 320 coming from the media infeed-and-outfeed opening 185 is wound up on the drum 120 while being pinched between the tapes 110 and 115, and the medium is stored. Thus, in storing and feeding operations, when the tapes 110 and 115 are loosened, there is a problem such that the tapes 110 and 115 come free from the idle pulleys 190 and 195 or the reels 130 and 135, or the force pinching a medium at the time of rewinding disappears. However, in the above-described storing and feeding operations, the tensions are always applied to the tapes, which do not allow the tapes to be loosened.
However, under the prior art described above, because the reel shafts 131 and 136 always rotate slower than the reels 130 and 135 in the feeding operation, the torque limiters 132 and 137 are always rotated. Further, in the storing operation, because the reels 130 and 135 are rotated with respect to the reel shafts 131 and 136 which are not rotated, the torque limiters 132 and 137 are always rotated.
Given that the angular speed of the torque limiters in the feeding operation is TA1, and the angular speed of the torque limiters in the storing operation is TA2, thenTA1=(angular speed of the reel shafts)/(angular speed of the reels),  (11)TA2=(angular speed of the reels).  (12)In the torque limiters, there is the problem that the greater the angular speed the shorter the lifetime. Further, the torque limiters supporting high rotational speed are expensive, so that torque limiters making an attempt to satisfy the quality and the cost are required to be used at low rotational speed.
Therefore, in the rotation in feeding operation, it is necessary to loose an angular speed by setting a ratio between the number of teeth ZA2 of the drum gear 150 and the number of teeth ZA1 of the reel gears 155 and 160 so as to decrease the angular speed, or rate, of TA1 as low as practical within the range of the relationship of (angular speed of the reel shafts)>(angular speed of the reels). Namely, it is necessary to increase the ratio of ZA1/ZA2 within a range in which expression (10) is satisfied. In the rotation in storing operation, because the angular speed of the reel shafts is stopped, the calculation is made by the tape speed VA1 and the reel radius RA1, thusTA2=VA1/RA1.  (13)
Because the reel shafts are not rotated as in feeding operation, there is no factor to decrease the angular speed of the torque limiters with respect to the angular speed of the reels, and the angular speed of the torque limiters is increased in some cases.
A specific example N1 will be shown below. Given that
a reel radius on which there are no tapes is ra1=50 mm,
a coefficient in which a reel radius is increased when the tapes are fully wound thereon is T1=1.3,
a drum radius on which there are no tapes is ra2=80 mm,
a coefficient in which a drum radius is increased when the tapes are fully wound thereon is T2=1.5, and
a speed of storing and feeding the tapes is VA=1200 mm/s, then the angular speed TA1 of the torque limiters in feeding operation is determined.
Given that a drum shaft angular speed WA2=VA1/RA2,a reel shaft angular speed WA1=(ZA2/ZA1)×WA2=(ZA2/ZA1)×VA1/RA2,a reel angular speed WA3=VA1/RA1,then according to expression (11),TA1=(ZA2/ZA1)×VA1/RA2−VA1/RA1.  (14)Because it is necessary to always satisfy expression (10) as the ratio of ZA2/ZA1, according to expression (10),ra1/(ra2×T2)>ZA1/ZA2,50/(80×1.5)>ZA1/ZA2,0.4167>ZA1/ZA2, andZA1/ZA2=0.41.
According to expression (14),
      TA    ⁢                  ⁢    1    =                              (                      1            /            0.41                    )                ×        VA        ⁢                                  ⁢                  1          /          RA                ⁢                                  ⁢        2            -              VA        ⁢                                  ⁢                  1          /          RA                ⁢                                  ⁢        1              =                  [                                            (                              1                /                0.41                            )                        /            RA2                    -                                    [                                                                                          (                                              1                        /                        0.41                                            )                                        /                    RA                                    ⁢                                                                          ⁢                  2                                -                                                      1                    /                    RA                                    ⁢                                                                          ⁢                  1                                            ]                        ×            VA            ⁢                                                  ⁢                          11              /              RA                        ⁢                                                  ⁢            1                          ]            ×      VA      ⁢                          ⁢      1      According to expressions (6) and (7),TA1=[(1/0.41)/(ra1×ka2)−1/(ra1×ka1)]×VA1.The maximum value as TA1 is established when (ra2×ka2) takes its the minimum value and (ra1×ka1) its maximum value, i.e. when there are no tapes on the drum 120, and the tapes are fully wound on the reels.
At that time,
      TA    ⁢                  ⁢    1    ⁢          (              maximum        ⁢                                  ⁢        value            )        =                    [                                            (                              1                /                0.41                            )                        /                          (                              ra                ⁢                                                                  ⁢                2                ×                1                            )                                -                      1            /                          (                              ra                ⁢                                                                  ⁢                1                ×                T                ⁢                                                                  ⁢                1                            )                                      ]            ×      VA      ⁢                          ⁢      1        =                            [                                                    1                /                                  (                  0.41                  )                                            /              80                        -                          1              /                              (                                  50                  ×                  1.3                                )                                              ]                ×        1200            =      18.12      On the other hand, to determine the angular speed of the torque limiters in storing operation, according to expression (13),TA2=VA1/RA1, andTA2=VA1/(ra1×ka1).The maximum value as TA2 is established when (ra1×ka1) takes its minimum value, i.e. when there are no tapes on the reels. Then,TA2(maximum value)=VA1/(ra1×1)]=1200/(50×1)=24.  (15)
In this way, in storing operation, because the reel shafts are not rotated as in feeding operation, the angular speed is increased in some cases. Further, in the prior art, in addition to the problem that the angular speed of the torque limiters is increased, there is a problem that it is necessary to use four one-way clutches which are expensive and are a factor to increase the cost.